Marianne Wiun

Marianne Wiun

Obituary for Marianne Wiun

Wiun: Marianne Wiun age 67 years, born to the late Katie and Harry Wiun of Dauphin, Manitoba died July 10, 2013 at Peterborough Regional Health Center. Complications occurred after recent abdominal surgeries and other health complications including diabetes. Her family living from afar is grateful for a good friend, Francine Fleming, who was by her side. Many thanks to Lilly and Melinda who visited and helped also.
Marianne, raised in Dauphin was the youngest of four children of Ukrainian immigrants. She was considerably younger than her three siblings and is predeceased by her oldest brother, Bill of Toronto and sister, Jessie married to John Kazmerik of Brandon, Manitoba. The youngest brother of the Wiun family John, resides in Edmonton with his wife Annie and three sons, David (wife-Simone and children Jeff, Daniel and Brittany), Glenn and Dennis (wife-Cathy and sons, Brenden and Kurtis).
Marianne was only eight when all of her siblings left home and her father passed away two years later. This was very difficult for her as she was close to her sister, Jessie and her father who stayed home because of ailing health while her mother worked outside the home. She always spoke of the traits that came from her parents. Her mother was an exceptional cook and gardener as was her sister, Jessie. Harry Wiun, her father a tailor, taught himself to read and write in English. His love for literature, languages, writing of stories and poetry was extended to Marianne. After graduating from high school in Dauphin, Marianne moved in with John and Jessie Kazmerik and their three children to attend Brandon University. Her nephew Brian, only 9 years younger and nieces Kathy and Trish, who were in early elementary school, still remember the liveliness Marianne brought to their house. It was, of course the middle of the sixties and the sounds of Elvis and the Beatles filled the house. Working at the Banff Springs Hotel for a summer job was unforgettable and she returned to Brandon with many stories and Marianne tremendously enjoyed attending a staff reunion in Banff a few decades later.
Marianne worked at the university library while obtaining a Bachelor of Arts. Soon after her graduation she wanted to travel and eventually moved to Montreal. She worked at Concordia University in the Library and often spoke of her love for the city and its culture.
Her restlessness and quest for a career she was passionate about brought her back to her home province where she obtained a Bachelor of Social Work at the University of Manitoba. Upon graduation, Marianne worked briefly as a social worker in Winnipeg and Red Lake Ontario. The family remembers the time Marianne was in Red Lake when the town was surrounded by a forest fire and they were unable to reach her. Shortly afterwards a call came from Winnipeg to report Marianne had been rescued, not because of the fire but the need to air lift her for an emergency appendectomy.
Marianne returned to Winnipeg to take more social work courses towards her Masters but as jobs were few she decided to move to Toronto to search for social work positions. Her first job was in social assistance for the City of Toronto. In 1983 she was hired by the Official Guardian Office of the Attorney General of the province of Ontario where she worked for 7 years. The eighties seemed to be the happiest time for Marianne, sharing her life and traveling with Alex, her significant other.
Marianne was very detailed in her work, another family trait and found social work very emotionally taxing. It is probably for this reason that in 1990 she returned to her love for literature and was hired by the Toronto School Board as a Library Technician. She worked there until she retired in February of 2003.
In her retirement she moved to Peterborough as she craved a slower pace and a community more suitable to seniors. She was grateful for the new friendships she made in Peterborough and the view of the lake from her apartment.
Marianne was a very spiritual person and attended many churches and retreats. She was adventurous in her travels, made many friends and developed strong relationships. Marianne cherished her memories from her favorite vacation destination Lily Dale, New York. She was young at heart, a free spirit and loved deeply. Working diligently to maintain correspondence with her loved ones was important to her. She will be missed.
Marianne is survived by her two sons, Jon and Andrew, her brother-in-law, John Kazmerik, nephew Brian Kazmerik (wife-Lisa, daughters, Katrice and Alex), nieces, Kathy Lepard(husband Dan and son Nathan), Trish McBeth(husband Kevin) and as previously mentioned, the Wiun family of Edmonton.
A memorial gathering for Marianne’s friends will be held the evening of July 31, from 6:00-8:30 pm at the Bloor Street United Church meeting room, 300 Bloor St. W, Toronto. Internment and memorial will be held tentatively on August 2, 2013 at the Riverside Cemetery in Dauphin, Manitoba. Further details to follow.